Our History
Ballet Manguinhos has been operating for 13 years in over 20 favelas in Rio de Janeiro’s North Zone.
The ONG was founded by Daiana Ferreira and began with ballet classes with just 70 students in the back of a church. Over the years, many changes have occurred, and stories have been told from the inside.
In 2020, after being relocated to many homes, it was able to fulfill its greatest dream by acquiring its own headquarters measuring over 600m², which features five fully equipped ballet rooms, one of which also houses a circus room, a communications room, and a sports room.
Unfortunately, in 2021, it suffered its greatest loss with the death of its founder and director, Daiana Ferreira. Despite this, the NGO has remained steadfast, carrying the word “resistance” as a synonym and adjective within its walls. Today, Ballet Manguinhos has 530 students, offering ballet, baby classes, contemporary dance, urban dance, ballroom dancing, jazz, circus, and theater. It also offers boxing classes for girls and women, and English and Chinese language courses. The institution’s history has impacted more than 7,000 lives throughout its history.
It continues to pursue its mission daily: transforming the lives of girls and women through access to culture, education, and sports, fostering citizenship, and striving for diversity and inclusion.
“We intent to empower the trajectories of these children, teenagers and young people through art and through understanding the importance of reading as a present choice for their lives. Dance, for us, is an element of socialization. It expands awareness, provides freedom and teaches citizenship. Art is seen as a different path and an agent for new opportunities of life.”
DAIANA DOS SANTOS – GENERAL DIRECTOR (in memory)
